Markus Wardingspell
Markus Wardingspell was a Dalaran mage, a teacher and practitioner of Alchemy. He was also the co-founder of the Wards of the Enclave magi society. Personality and Appearance Markus was a calm, calculated individual. He was also a very private person and enjoyed being enigmatic and vague. He had a snide wit, which often showed itself when he mentioned his Dalaran education. He spoke frequently about 'Classes in Magi Fashions' which supposedly included a whole series of lessons in the various shades of purple. Wardingspell never revealed his age, but it is presumed that at the time of founding the Enclave he was little over 60. Wardingspell's garments were simple. The only notable feature about them was the 6 herb pouches he wore at his belt. He was seen reaching into them and chewing on the leaves frequently - a subject of jokes amongst his friends. Biography Dalaran Years Markus Wardingspell was born in Dalaran, years prior to the First War with the Orcs. He was tutored in Alchemy and Herbalism and eventually became a teacher of both. He had a natural gift for the craft of brewing potions, but he also had extensive knowledge in herbs and their inherent properties. At some point Wardingspell got married to an Eva Serene and set up shop in Dalaran called "Mar's Potions". The name was actually more than a pun, for it quickly became obvious that the potions he sold were harmful to the imbibers. Wardingspell was stripped of his rank and title, his shop was closed, but no real evidence could be found against him. Eventually, it became apparent that it was not Markus Wardingspell who was responsible for the state of the potions at his shop, but rather his wife - Eva. Ample evidence was found that she had been practicing shadow magic for years prior to marrying Wardingspell. However, she eluded arrest, a fact now tentatively attributed to Wardingspell, who could have aided her in escaping. Warginspell did not return to his shop. Instead, he started tutoring young mages in Alchemy, Herbalism and general magical knowledge. Reportedly, he also conducted long philosophical debates with them. It is estimated that the last time Markus was in Dalaran was just prior to the attack by the fallen prince Arthas Menethil. It is unknown what transpired exactly, but a small group of Wardingspell's students were found dead near the city gates and the mage himself was missing. Presumed dead, and with the city's impending destruction from the Demonlord Archimonde, Wardgindspell's fate was undetermined, until years later he re-surfaced in Hillsbrad. Remnants of Lordaeron Several years after the destruction of Dalaran Markus Wardingspell arrived in the Remnants of Lordaeron camp at Southpoint Tower. He stayed with the Remnants briefly, and eventually joined them as a medic and mage-fighter. His immediate superior was the mage Louise Dunningham, wife to an officer within the Remnants - Falran Dunningham. Wardingspell's stay with the Remnants was brief. Eventually, he was discharged from the Remnants, along with the Dunninghams. Historians are in disagreement regarding what transpired immediately after. Some say the three wandered for some time, seeking a place that would take them in. It is said they had considered Stromgarde or Theramore, before finally deciding upon an initiative of their own. What is relatively clear, however, is that somewhere along the way Wardingspell and the Dunnighamns encountered Arandul Tenotir, a mage who had also served in the Remnants of Lordaeron. The three mages concocted a vision of a magi sanctum, independent from Stormwind and Dalaran. It would be a place where mages could come to develop their powers, learn of the world and help it at the same time. In the search for a prime location for the organisation, the four friends found themselves in Kalimdor. The Witch of the Marsh When in Kalimdor, Wardingspell's party headed through Dustwallow Marsh. It is there that they encountered the Witch of the Marsh for the first time. Records are unclear, but it appears that some of the adventurers were transformed into rats. A concurrent theory holds that they were actually transformed into rats. With the help of the witch Tabetha and a mysterious shape-shifting being Molnash, the spell was reversed. Realising what danger the Witch of the Marsh posed, the founders of the Enclave decided that it would be built upon the mountain tops in the Barrens, overlooking the Marsh. As the Enclave Tower was being constructed, and Mages started arriving, interested in the new endeavour, the Marsh became veiled in mist, and undead started walking the paths within. Soon enough, Marshlight Tavern and the Hamlet of Helmsburg, both neighbouring the Enclave, were under siege by the living dead. In the midst of this, Markus Wardingspell and his friends were attempting to find pieces of a weapon that could destroy the Witch of the Marsh. In the end, the weapon itself was made of Moonsteel, and sheathed in a scabbard that let the bearer see through all illusions. The weapon did in fact allow the Warden of the Wards of the Enclave, Falran Dunningham, to defeat a powerful spirit sent by the Witch of the Marsh, saving the Hamlet of Helmsburg and the Enclave. Capture Shortly after the defeat of the greatest of the Witch's minions, Markus Wardingspell disappeared. After years of painstaking research and archeological pursuits it is now clear what happened to him. It appears that after her escape from Dalaran, Eva Serene-Wardingspell continued to delve deeper into the forbidden arts, including the arts of necromancy. At some point, she managed to take control of one of Wardingspell's former students: Erram Foulstaff. Foulstaff captured Wardingspell and kept him captive, while Eva Serene arrived at the Enclave under false pretense. Using her powers of deception and her skills in the shadow and illusion, Eva gained a measure of control over the Enclave's Warden - Falran Dunningham. It is likely her plan was to seize control of the Enclave completely, and mold it into a centre of learning of the forbidden arts. Her plans were thwarted when another became interested in the tower. The Twilight Tower Maybe disheartened by their leader's capture, or maybe seeing through Eva Serene, the Wards of the Enclave started abandoning the Enclave tower. At this point the Aeromancer Jerad Le'Clare came to the Enclave and claimed it in the name of the Twilight's Hammer Cult. It is likely that Eva had Wardingspell released at this point, to let him solve a problem she was not interested in tackling. OOC Information * Initially, 'Mar' was meant as the surname of the character, rather than as a nickname deriving from the first name. The full name of the character in such instance would have been 'Terios Mar'. * Eva Serene and Erram Foulstaff were created to rouse the failing Wards of the Enclave guild out of inactivity. The storyline failed in this task and was cut short with the onset of the Twilight Tower plotline. * It was never revealed IC that Markus was consuming a great deal of herbs to dull pain, which stemmed from inadvertently consuming some of his wife's altered potions. Category:Prologue Phase A/B lore Category:Alliance Category:Humans